My Research Interests

Under Construction

Currently, I'm constructing a vacuum deposition chamber to use in finishing
my thesis. My first home-built vacuum chamber imploded under the force
caused by the vacuum and covered my kitchen in glass and ceramic. When
the setup is finished, I can use it for doing freelance coating of optics.

This is my 2-stage vane-rotor pump used for rough evacuation sitting on my kitchen floor.

This is my diffusion pump for
achieving ultra high vacuum. You can also see the roughing pump on
the left. Hopefully I'll have it ready to go as soon as I can run the
cooling system out to my garage. : )

This is my new vacuum chamber setup. It sits directly on the diffusion
pump assembly and has ports for all kinds of connections. It has three
pairs of fillament electrodes as well as a pair of high-voltage electrodes
running up through the base. The high voltage will be used to clean
the optical surfaces under a semi-high vacuum. Kind of like a molecular
sandblasting.

This is a close-up of the chamber with the top removed. You can see
some of the electrodes and the valve for sealing off the diffusion pump once
an ultra high vacuum is achieved. Sure is nice to have fun toys like this at home. : )

This is the setup at the Ultra-Fast Spectroscopy Lab at
Utah State University where I'm trying to finish my thesis. : ).